Editing National Rail (section)

==Ticketing==
National Rail services have a common ticketing structure inherited from [[British Rail]]. Through tickets are available between any pair of stations on the network, and can be bought from any station ticket office. Most tickets are inter-available between the services of all operators on routes appropriate to the journey being made. Operators on some routes offer operator-specific tickets that are cheaper than the inter-available ones.

Through tickets involving [[London Underground]], or to some ferry services (''RailSail'' tickets) are also available. [[Oyster card|Oyster]] pay-as-you-go can be used on National Rail in [[Greater London]] from 2 January 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Rail |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/national-rail |access-date=2020-04-19 |website=Transport for London }}</ref> These same areas can also be journeyed to using a contactless debit/credit card. Contactless also covers some areas that Oyster doesn't such as the [[Elizabeth line]] to Reading, or the Thameslink station at Oakleigh Park.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Rail fares, caps and Travelcards beyond Zone 9 |url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares/find-fares/national-rail-fares-beyond-zone-9 |access-date=2020-04-19 |website=Transport for London }}</ref>

[[File:British Rail - Rail Rover 4 in 8 - June 1994.jpg|thumb|4 day rail rover (1994)]]
The most common types of tickets available include 'advance' tickets, that specify a specific route and timing between two destinations, 'off-peak' tickets, either as a single or a return, that allow a passenger to use a train at hours where the service is not busy, and 'anytime' tickets, which can be used on any train. Season tickets, which offer unlimited travel between two stations for a specified period, are also available.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 August 2022 |title=National Rail Enquiries – Ticket Types |url=https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/145681.aspx |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822174225/https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/145681.aspx |archive-date=22 August 2022 |access-date=22 August 2022 |website=National Rail Enquiries }}</ref> A 'rover' [[travel card]] ticket also exists that allows unlimited travel in a set area or on services of certain operators, for a certain period of time. Rovers which allow unlimited travel for only one day are sometimes referred to as '''ranger''' tickets, and are usually available for smaller areas.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 Oct 2024|title=National Rail Enquiries – Rovers & Rangers |url=https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/tickets-railcards-and-offers/ticket-types/ranger-and-rover-tickets/ |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822174245/https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/rangers_and_rovers.aspx |archive-date=22 August 2022 |access-date=22 August 2022 |website=National Rail Enquiries }}</ref>

Passengers without a valid ticket boarding a train at a station where ticket-buying facilities are available are required to pay the full Open Single or Return fare. On some services [[penalty fare]]s apply – a ticketless passenger may be charged the greater of £20 or twice the full single fare to the next stop. Penalty Fares can be collected only by authorised Revenue Protection Inspectors, not by ordinary Guards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Rail Enquiries – National Rail Conditions of Travel |url=https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/travel-information/your-rights-and-obligations-as-a-passenger/ |access-date=16 Oct 2024 |website=nationalrail.co.uk}}</ref>

National Rail distributes a number of [[Great Britain railway technical manuals|technical manuals]] on which travel on the railways in Great Britain is based, such as the [[National Rail Conditions of Travel]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=<!--Not stated--> |title=National Rail Conditions of Travel |url=https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/travel-information/your-rights-and-obligations-as-a-passenger/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021095631/https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/travel-information/your-rights-and-obligations-as-a-passenger/ |archive-date=21 October 2017 |access-date=16 Oct 2024 |website=National Rail |publisher=Rail Delivery Group}}</ref> via their website.